Database Users

[Q] Does Acer Recovery Actually Back UP and Restore The ROMs?

Noob here. It doesn't "seem" like Acer Recovery is actually making backups of my ROMs. I'm really missing something either in terminology or execution and I'd like to understand what it is.
I don't know how to explain it other than to relate exactly what happened
I purchased one A500, but had to return it. I kept the backups taken with Acer Recovery, all Build A500_4.010.13_COM_GEN2
Got a new tab with Build Acer_A500_4.010.07_COM_GEN2
I immediately did a full backup:
Root (Iconiaroot 1.3)
Acer Recovery Installer
select "ClockworkMod Recovery rev1.3.4 by thor2002ro"
click "Install Recovery Image"
click "Yes" when asked to backup the current image!!!
Reboot into CW recovery.
Create a full backup: "backup and restore" -> "Full Backup"
The backup proceeded normally.
Rather than re-installing everything, I restored one of the backups from the old tab with Build A500_4.010.13_COM_GEN2
Backup installed fine, but instead of Build A500_4.010.13_COM_GEN2, I had Acer_A500_4.010.07_COM_GEN2, the same as the new tab.
I thought that was odd and I still don't know why it happened, but as I had just made a fresh new backup, I let the new tab go through the OTA updates to Build A500_4.010.13_COM_GEN2
Got everything working OK and decided to restore my new stock backup and make fresh incrementals of all the OTA updates.
Restored the original backup and now my original backup shows Build A500_4.010.13_COM_GEN2 instead of the original Build Acer_A500_4.010.07_COM_GEN2.
From these two instances, it doesn't "seem" like Acer Recovery is actually backing up or restoring the original ROM.
What is it that I'm either missing or don't understand about this process?
Thanks

If I understand the process, Acer Recovery will make backups of your recovery image. CWM does a full backup of ROM/kernel.
So, I'm not sure if I understand where you are restoring from.
If you restore through the Acer Recovery Installer, you should be just getting the old recovery image.
If you restore through the CWM menus after botting into recovery, then you are doing a full restore.

First.. it's not Acer recovery installer that's giving you the issue. The backup and restore are functions of clockworkmod.
The problem was that your flexrom did not get restored due to a bug that I demonstrated on thor's clockworkmod thread.
When doing a restore that restores data.img, it will also attempt to restore .android_secure.img and will fail, skipping flexrom which is supposed to follow. I bet you don't ever see the "Restore Successful" message after a full restore.
You need to either delete .android_secure.img from your backup set or restore flexrom separately.
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk

PS. Clockworkmod does not backup anything from /data/media
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk

So how to do a full backup of the image and restore if not from cwm.

Euclid's Brother said:
You need to either delete .android_secure.img from your backup set or restore flexrom separately.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks Euclid,
Sorry about the confusion in the thread title. I thought Acer Recovery Installer had several functions: backup and restore recovery images and load CWM recovery to do the actual backup and recovery. Since I thought it did both, I assumed it was O.K. to use Acer Recovery Installer generically.
I did another restore to check what was done:
Fixing a500 Boot/recovery Checksums...
Running itsmagic
Done
Checking MD5 sums...
Erasing boot before restore
Restoring Boot Image
Restoring System
Restoring Data
Done
Screen refreshed to "Reboot Now".
As you said no "Restore Complete" message.
I wonder how many people including myself, assumed that the restore had completed successfully when they got the "done" message?
Both fixes worked well. I hope this helps someone else.
Below is the text from within CWM Recovery when .android_secure.img was deleted from the backup folder and a restore was run:
Fixing a500 Boot/recovery Checksums...
Running itsmagic
Done!
Checking MD5 sums...
Erasing boot before restore
Restoring Boot Image
Restoring System
Restoring Data
.android_secure.img not found, Skipping restore of /sdcard/.android_secure.
Restoring cache
Restoring flextrom
Restore Complete!
Restored my original stock ROM. So nice of it to ask me to update to a newer version immediately after the restore!
I did have one problem. I tried deleting .android_secure.img while rooted, using ES File Explorer with the Root Explorer and Mount File System options selected. I could never see the file on my external SD in the clockworkmod/backup
folder, so I pulled the card and manuall deleted it from my PC. I'm curios as to why this happened, but it didn't affect the result.
It was just as easy using backup and restore/advanced restore/your restore folder/ - Restore flexrom from within CWM Recovery.
I've read hundreds of post, in I don't know how many threads, sticky's included and never saw the advice about deleting .android_secure.img, manually restoring flexrom or even checking to make sure that you got "Restore Complete" I wish these things were part of an updated guide.
Lesson learned,
Thanks again

Just wondering, is there anyone working on a new recovery which will complete backups and restores without additional deletions, etc.?

bug was in thors post
The bug was mentioned.but I don't think there was much discussion about it.I don't think Thor acknowledged or tried ti fix.
With that said I could be incorrect. I however even with the bug think its a awesome tool.don't. Consider this as complaint.
Its like on page 3 or 4of the Thor recovery thread if im not mistaken
The blonde chic erica Renee

Yeah we need something reliable when restoring from backup. I tried once, cwm sees it but can't do the restore so I gave up even though I had all my apps backed up so did all one by one.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

How to use nandroid restore?

I just installed MIUI and I didn't like it, how do I go restore to the backup I did with among RA 2.3? I only see. Img's when trying to restore and I get "oops" messages.

In recovery you go to nandroid backup/restore and choose restore and then the latest backup. Wipe cache and dalvik cache before and after the restore and you should be golden. As long as you're using the same recovery you made the backup with.
We're comin from a pure power source.

I needed to put the imgs on a folder so I cud flash, figured it out myself
Sent from my PC36100 using xda premium

metalfan78 said:
In recovery you go to nandroid backup/restore and choose restore and then the latest backup. Wipe cache and dalvik cache before and after the restore and you should be golden. As long as you're using the same recovery you made the backup with.
We're comin from a pure power source.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i notice if i wipe any caches before doing a nandroid restore i get issues like FC's after it reboots. Anytime i do a nandroid & dont wipe anything, its perfect.

[Q] Stupid question

Hi,
I have an Iconia Tab A500 with CWM installed and sometime i switch on different ROM to test them.
Usually befoere making a full NANDROID restore i do only a "Wipe data" / "Wipe cache" / "Wipe dalvik" but sometime you can see on some post that you need in addition to format "/system /flexrom /data /cache, etc.."
So my stupid question, is it necessary to format each time i do a full restore or only to wipe.
In fact, what is the difference between "Wipe" and "Format" ?
Thx a lot for answer.

A developer could certainly give you a more accurate answer to your question than me but, as far as I know, wiping means erasing the data that you have added by yourself to the ROM (for example, your pseudos and passwords, apps, and so...), while formatting means erasing all the data that the developers have written originally.
Personally, when I restore a ROM, I never do a wiping nor a formatting, since the backup contains all the data of the ROM, afaik.

aranna said:
Hi,
I have an Iconia Tab A500 with CWM installed and sometime i switch on different ROM to test them.
Usually befoere making a full NANDROID restore i do only a "Wipe data" / "Wipe cache" / "Wipe dalvik" but sometime you can see on some post that you need in addition to format "/system /flexrom /data /cache, etc.."
So my stupid question, is it necessary to format each time i do a full restore or only to wipe.
In fact, what is the difference between "Wipe" and "Format" ?
Thx a lot for answer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you install RA Recovery, you only need to select in wipes "user data/factory reset", then do a dalvik wipe. This formats your partitions so no need to do 6 different things. System gets formatted when the rom installs.

so, wiping or formatting as no effect when you restore a backup because all is erased.. strange.. so why on most tutorial we ask to do a wipe ?

Strange...
Can you give me an example of tutorial where it is said that you have to do a wipe before a restore with CMW ?

aranna said:
so, wiping or formatting as no effect when you restore a backup because all is erased.. strange.. so why on most tutorial we ask to do a wipe ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To me this is a better safe than sorry situation. It's probably unnecessary and redundant but i'd rather wipe and format everything before i flash just to be sure im getting a clean base, rather than flash, have bugs, and have to go back into recovery and wipe anyway and reflash
Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk

you know I always understood that restoring did not require a wipe, but since I've started this tablet, I've noticed I get failed restore more often. I've started wiping before restore but sometimes it still fails.
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk

[Q] Question about nandroid backups location

Hi, I've got a Nexus 10 and I already have rooted and installed TWRP recovery. I'm used to get devices with microsd slot. As this is not the case, I have a noob question.
I'm having problems installing certain apps and I want to try wiping the device and see if after wiping, the installation suceeds. Just in case, I have already taken a nandroid backup, but, as the backup is located in the internal SD, I'm afraid that if I wipe the device, it will also wipe the backup. Will wiping the device erase the TWRP backup too?. The backup is located at /sdcard/TWRP/BACKUPS/...... and so on. I think that wiping the device shouldn't wipe the /sdcard partition, but I'm not sure about this.
Can you please confirm that wiping the device will erase only /data and not /sdcard?
Thanks a lot.

joanquro said:
Hi, I've got a Nexus 10 and I already have rooted and installed TWRP recovery. I'm used to get devices with microsd slot. As this is not the case, I have a noob question.
I'm having problems installing certain apps and I want to try wiping the device and see if after wiping, the installation suceeds. Just in case, I have already taken a nandroid backup, but, as the backup is located in the internal SD, I'm afraid that if I wipe the device, it will also wipe the backup. Will wiping the device erase the TWRP backup too?. The backup is located at /sdcard/TWRP/BACKUPS/...... and so on. I think that wiping the device shouldn't wipe the /sdcard partition, but I'm not sure about this.
Can you please confirm that wiping the device will erase only /data and not /sdcard?
Thanks a lot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't confirm anything; but I'd highly suggest just backing up the nandroid to a computer just in-case. I'm pretty sure though that the nandroid would remain as long as you didn't actually format data.

espionage724 said:
I can't confirm anything; but I'd highly suggest just backing up the nandroid to a computer just in-case. I'm pretty sure though that the nandroid would remain as long as you didn't actually format data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what I've done so far. I have copied the nandroid backup to my PC. I suppose that it's possible, in case the backup is deleted, that I can mount the partition from recovery and then using adb, push the backup in order to restore it. Is this the way to go?.
By the way, what you mean is that the backup will remain as long as I don't format /sdcard, right? Because /data will get formated if I wipe the device, I think.
Thanks.

joanquro said:
By the way, what you mean is that the backup will remain as long as I don't format /sdcard, right? Because /data will get formated if I wipe the device, I think.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not entirely sure; I know in TWRP there's some advanced wipe thing with selections (cache, dalvik, system, something else, usb) and then there's a "Format Data" button.

wiping cache, dalvik, system, and factory reset it will not wipe your "media" partition, also known as your sdcard or internal storage. Doing the "format data" will wipe the whole device including your sdcard.

EniGmA1987 said:
wiping cache, dalvik, system, and factory reset it will not wipe your "media" partition, also known as your sdcard or internal storage. Doing the "format data" will wipe the whole device including your sdcard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I finally wiped the device, tested the application I wanted to install and recovered without problems from the TWRP backup that hadn't been deleted. Now that I know that wiping the device solves the problem, I have to backup apps and data for every user, wipe again and recover only apps and data.
Thanks a lot.

nandroid + flashing/restoring across roms

I'm having a little trouble understanding nandroid vs. other forms of backup and would appreciate some clarification. I'm running CM nightly on my Fido (Canada) G4. I took a nandroid as well as titanium backup of the factory stock image before I flashed CM.
A poster in the last thread I made suggested if I wanted to restore to stock, I could simply restore the nandroid, but I've also seen people say you shouldn't use nandroid to go across ROMs. My understanding is that nandroid is like having a filesystem backup, which would obviously not react well if you restored it over a new operating system (e.g. two different versions of windows). Or is nandroid more like say Acronis, which takes an entire disk image and overwrites everything?
Other misc questions:
- If I do restore via nandroid, do I need to wipe all data / cache / system data before or after the restore?
- I assume I can use titanium to restore SMS + all non-system apps across ROMs, which would save a lot of time.
- If I'm going from one CM nightly to another, would titanium work for system apps (e.g. all my settings, or contacts, etc)
- If I want to flash a new CM nightly, do I need to follow the entire wipe procedure just as if it were going from one ROM to a completely different one?
Thanks!

always make a nandroid in recovery. i recommend keeping it on your micro sd card. in the event you need to return your device to it's previously functioning state, restore the nandroid in recovery. if you are running an aosp rom and your nandroid is touchwiz, wipe data, cache & dalvik before restoring the nandroid. if the backup is on your micro sd then feel free to wipe system as well.
if you want to flash a nightly or update to a rom you are currently running, simply wipe cache and dalvik then flash the update, gapps and any custom kernel that you may be running.
i cannot answer your titanium backup questions because i do not use that program

xBeerdroiDx said:
always make a nandroid in recovery. i recommend keeping it on your micro sd card. in the event you need to return your device to it's previously functioning state, restore the nandroid in recovery. if you are running an aosp rom and your nandroid is touchwiz, wipe data, cache & dalvik before restoring the nandroid. if the backup is on your micro sd then feel free to wipe system as well.
if you want to flash a nightly or update to a rom you are currently running, simply wipe cache and dalvik then flash the update, gapps and any custom kernel that you may be running.
i cannot answer your titanium backup questions because i do not use that program
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, that's about what I have. ok, thank you for the clarification of what to wipe! that's good to know.
re flashing a nightly/update: using your method should preserve system data yes? so no need to reinstall all apps or system data?
and thanks, I'll hold out hope that someone with titanium expertise will be able to answer that one

kabutar said:
re flashing a nightly/update: using your method should preserve system data yes? so no need to reinstall all apps or system data?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, system/user data will remain. understand, however, that if you perform one of these dirty flashes and you have a problem with the functionality of the ROM, you'll need to do a full wipe and flash to see if this clears the issue before you report the problem in the development thread.

kabutar said:
yes, that's about what I have. ok, thank you for the clarification of what to wipe! that's good to know.
re flashing a nightly/update: using your method should preserve system data yes? so no need to reinstall all apps or system data?
and thanks, I'll hold out hope that someone with titanium expertise will be able to answer that one
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your right on both titanium questions.. However its not recommended to restore system apps you backed up on a aokp/aosp ROM to a touchwiz ROM and the other way around... Other than that like I said your fine
Sent from my WANAM'ED AT&T S4